In a stunning finale that left even hardened viewers reaching for tissues, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins threw out the rulebook and crowned not one, but three unlikely champions. Nobody saw this plot twist coming — least of all the winners themselves.
The Welsh wilderness (looking particularly moody this season) became ground zero for what veterans of the show are calling its most brutal incarnation yet. Through howling winds and merciless terrain, fourteen celebrities started the journey. Within hours, the course started claiming scalps.
Lucy Spraggan — yeah, that Lucy from X Factor — somehow transformed from singer-songwriter to stone-cold warrior. Former Premier League striker Troy Deeney traded pitch-side drama for military-grade challenges. And then there’s Michaella McCollum, whose journey from infamous headlines to SAS victor reads like a Hollywood screenplay nobody would believe.
Here’s the kicker: SClub’s Hannah Spearritt and Strictly’s Tasha Gourhi barely had time to break in their boots before waving the white flag. Even Love Island’s Adam Collard — built like a Greek statue and arguably just as tough — couldn’t quite make it to the winner’s circle, despite pushing through to the bitter end. Drag performer Bimini Bon-Boulash showed remarkable grit but ultimately fell short during the final push.
Chief Instructor Billy Billingham — who’s probably seen it all twice — delivered the verdict with characteristic military gravitas. “This course is designed to push you through barriers you would never imagine,” he declared, each word landing like artillery fire. “To strip you back, physically, mentally and emotionally. This course is brutal. Our world is brutal.”
The real shocker? Lucy Spraggan’s performance. Despite nursing an injury that would’ve sent most of us straight to the nearest sofa with a bag of frozen peas, she kept pushing. “It was about 9 million times worse than I thought it was going to be, and I thought it was going to be bad,” she admitted afterward, still visibly processing the ordeal. “It’s utterly traumatising, but unbelievably rewarding.”
McCollum’s victory carries extra weight — a redemption arc that feels earned rather than manufactured for TV. When they announced her pass, the tears started flowing. It’s the kind of moment that reminds viewers why reality TV, when done right, can actually mean something.
Troy Deeney’s reaction perfectly captured the surreal nature of their shared triumph. “When I saw it was just me, Lucy and Michaella, I thought we were the ones who hadn’t made it. What a relief!” The footballer-turned-survivor described the experience as “brilliantly mind-boggling” — perhaps the most apt description of this topsy-turvy season.
Speaking of surprises, The Traitors winner Harry Clarke — the only contestant with actual military experience — got booted for “cutting corners.” Talk about irony served cold. It just goes to show that previous experience counts for nothing when you’re facing down the DS (Directing Staff) in their own backyard.
What makes this season particularly special isn’t just the unexpected trio of winners — it’s the way their success story shatters preconceptions about what makes a warrior. Three individuals, whose paths would never normally cross, discovered reserves of strength they never knew existed. In an era where reality TV often feels more “reality” than real, this season delivered something authentically extraordinary.
Sometimes television surprises us. Sometimes it even inspires us. This time, it managed to do both.
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